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A recent article on EdWeek.org points out that "The recession tearing into the U.S. economy is not only straining the public coffers that support K-12 schooling, it’s also taking a toll on education philanthropy."  On balance, this is clearly not good news.  However, there may be a silver lining in these storming clouds. ...

Businesses and households aren’t the only ones paring back their budgets during this recession.  Widespread state budget deficits and diminishing alumni donations are forcing several universities to make significant cutbacks.  As this New York Times article points out, early victims at several universities have been the Humanities departments.  Many people feel that especially in a tough economy, it is more important for students to develop work-ready skills in math and science than the skills derived from a philosophy or religion course.  Might this belie a greater trend during the financial downturn that consists of education funders supporting programs that focus on developing vocation-ready skil ...